STEM

FOR BRITAIN

Exhibition of Posters by early-career research scientists, engineers and mathematicians.

2025

Frequently asked questions

Poster presenters are in the early part of their careers- MSc, PhD, Post Docs, Research Assistants or Fellows, recently-appointed lecturers, part-time and “mature” students and their equivalents in national, public sector and industrial laboratories, or companies. The event is not appropriate for undergraduate students. We welcome returners, and those starting a second career – age is unimportant.

The deadline for applications is Monday 25th November 2024

“Newly-appointed lecturers” are those who have been appointed within the last 2 years maximum

Applicants do not have to be British, but must be working in the UK. Clearly some work (especially field work) may have been carried out overseas.

No

Yes

No

Yes, but you need to make clear your personal contribution. Only one person may present.

It must contain:
• A title
• Name of presenter/co workers
• Affiliation/Complete Address/Postcode
You should:
• Describe the problem and its significance (potential impact).
• Describe the experimental method(s) – briefly.
• Describe the achievements so far.

The abstract judges are all scientists and engineers and will be selecting on the basis of good science and engineering so we would recommend your abstract could be more technical in nature whilst the final poster should be more aimed at the interested person in the street.

No

One page of A4 is the maximum.

Yes, you may include tables, graphs, diagrams, images, etc. in your abstract but be aware this will reduce the amount of space available for text.

No, though they may be included. However, we suggest the space might be better used.

You can upload a revised version at any time before the closing date. It will replace the previous version.

Please contact us well before the closing date if you expect your abstract will be delayed.

Please do not share confidential or patent pending information. Your abstract/poster will be viewed by external judges who, although discreet, have not signed a confidentiality agreement. You will also be required to present your poster at the event on March 11th to a wide audience of MPs and members of the scientific policy community and your peers. We would therefore advise you to consult with your university/company technology transfer office and do not to apply if your research is subject to NDA and/or going to be included in a patent/IP application that will not be decided by the time of the event.

At the same time as your Application form is completed and your scientific Abstract provided; it is an essential part of the application process. We suggest you contact your referee as soon as you decide to make an application.

References should be in an official format and come from a university or organisation address. They should be on headed paper and signed.
Your referee should know you well and be in a position to give his/her opinion of you as a scientist and comment on your input (theoretical and practical) to the work being submitted. They may wish to make other points about your previous achievements and future promise. We recognize that much research is collaborative, but our judges need to be clear about your unique input.

Referees are usually senior colleagues, supervisors, Heads of Department, or similar.

Sorry, we are not able to provide this.

If you are selected, we ask you to submit the poster electronically two weeks before the event, to give the judges more time to consider it. On the day you must also bring a hard copy of the poster for display.

Your poster should describe your work in terms intelligible to an interested lay person. We STRONGLY advise that you do NOT use a poster which has been presented at a meeting of a Learned Society; this is not the level we are seeking. On the day the judges will visit the posters and engage you in conversation. They will now be looking for enthusiasm, clarity, and brevity as well as scientific excellence.

They must be portrait (not landscape) and fit onto the poster boards (2m high x 0.75m wide) and be in proportion – A1 size in portrait format would be appropriate.

Sadly, lack of space does not permit this.

Space is very limited at the venue and we cannot guarantee access for accompanying persons unless there are exceptional circumstances (please contact us). Colleagues or friends who travel to the event will not be allowed in unless their attendance has been previously approved by the organisers.

No substitutes will be allowed; the individual who submits the entry must be the person who presents the poster, and the deadline for that decision is the closing date for entries. Please let us know as soon as possible if you cannot attend, we have people in reserve wishing to come along.

We very much hope we will be able to hold the event in Parliament. However, if this is not possible, we will revert to the online format used successfully in 2021. Subject judging sessions will be held online with the top 10 finalists in each subject category in the week preceding the event (w/c 27 February 2023) and the winners ceremony will be held online on 6 March 2023.

Sorry, we are not able to help with this.

We very much hope we will be able to hold the event in Parliament. However, if this is not possible, we will revert to the online format used successfully in 2021. Subject judging sessions will be held online with the top 10 finalists in each subject category in the week preceding the event (w/c 27 February 2023) and the winners ceremony will be held online on 6 March 2023.